


Courtesy Visit

by AethraCaelis



Category: Gundam 00
Genre: Gen, Gundam 00F - Freeform, Gundam 00P - Freeform, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-28
Updated: 2016-12-28
Packaged: 2018-09-12 23:00:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9094570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AethraCaelis/pseuds/AethraCaelis
Summary: A one-shot answering to the prompt, "Sumeragi and Chall - A strange child appears with no explanation."  I may have failed the "no explanation" part as I explore a possibility over how Sumeragi and a certain child under Chall's care have met. Happy 10th anniversary to Gundam 00!





	

**Author's Note:**

> While I have done my own brief proofreading, please pardon any errors and typos you might catch.

“Good morning. I’m here to see Captain Acustica.”

Leesa Kujo greeted the kindly receptionist at one of the more upscale residential buildings occupying Krung Thepp. Idly, she thought that perhaps this position was better off occupied by a robot – until closer observation gave her a feeling that something was not quite right about the receptionist. The way light caught in their irises perhaps, or how their skin could be the prime example of “perfect skin” – like a heavily post-processed model come to life.

“Sumeragi Li-Noriega, yes? Captain Acustica’s on the third floor, the door right of the elevator.” The receptionist’s voice cut through Kujo’s thoughts, and for a split second, was about to object over the identity, until she recalled that she was to be Sumeragi Li-Noriega now.

Kujo had done a fair bit of research prior to her visit – or tried to. She had to give it to Celestial Being’s information control team: she had not found a single useful thing on the world-wide web on ‘Chall Acustica’ and ‘Feldt Grace’. Resources permitting, she would have visited the deeper recesses of the web, but that might just compromise her current standing with this already highly secret organization. 

Soon, she was at Captain Acustica’s door and rang the doorbell. She had been expecting to hear “just a minute!”, so she found herself mildly startled when the door opened. Her surprise drew a reaction from the woman who answered, as if she had wanted to recoil. The veil of silver-white hair that barely concealed the network of scarring over the left half of the woman’s face did not help Kujo's open-mouthed staring. After mentally berating herself however, Kujo found the mind to speak.

“Oh—I’m really sorry, my mind had been elsewhere.”

The white-haired woman, having quickly recovered, offered a gentle smile, opening the door widely. “It’s quite alright. You must be Miss Sumeragi,” she gestured for Kujo to enter. “Please come in. I’m Chall Acustica.”

Chall offered a pale hand which Kujo took in a friendly handshake. “It’s good to meet you, Captain.”

Taking their seats, a white haro unit attached to an auxiliary served tea. “Miss Sumeragi, have you been briefed as to the reason you were told to come here?”

 _Straight to business_ , Kujo observed. Taking a tea cup, she nodded. “I’m here for a courtesy visit to you, and to meet one of the future tactical operators for the Ptolemaios.”

So far, Kujo deemed the former Meister’s veneer to be warm, if not cordial, like looking at a field of rue blossoms. But at the mention of the of the ‘future tactical operator’, Kujo felt as if she was suddenly looking at an iceberg.

“You’re correct. She just came home from school, and she’ll be out in a few.”

Sooner than later, a girl, no older than ten, with a shock of pink hair in low pigtails – not dyed, Kujo noted to her amazement – came joining them. She did not quite smile, but her aqua-colored eyes showed curiosity. The girl held out her hand.

“Hello. I’m Feldt Grace. It’s good to meet you, Miss Sumeragi.”

 _Good manners, business-like, disciplined. Much like her guardian_. Kujo offered a warm smile, and took the girl’s hands gently in both of hers. This drew a look of surprise from Feldt, but she didn’t draw away. “It’s nice to meet you too, Feldt. I like your hair.”

“Thank you.” The reply was quiet as Feldt pulled her hand away, more of not knowing what to do than of fright. She quickly took her place beside Chall on the couch. Kujo could tell that Feldt quickly built invisible walls around her, making her own little space soon as she got her cup of tea. She caught her smiling at the haro though, as if it were a close family member.

“Feldt,” Chall returned to her warmer veneer as she addressed the young girl. “You will be joining Miss Sumeragi at the headquarters after school starting tomorrow. They’ll be introducing you to the Ptolemaios as well.”

Feldt’s eyes lit up at the mention of the ship. “She’s done already? Are the Gundam ready as well?”

“Not quite,” Kujo set her cup down on her lap. “The GN Drives are still undergoing crucial testing. But the haro team’s been deployed by now, and they’re doing some polishing around the ship’s living quarters as we speak.” Kujo deemed it a success in that the use of her recently acquired knowledge drew a favorable reaction from Feldt, as the young girl’s cheeks colored and a smile played on her lips. A passing look of pleasant surprise had been on Chall’s face as well, which brought back the warmer smiles. The Captain patted Feldt’s hair, which the latter seemed to enjoy.

“Once the mission starts, we won’t be able to communicate as often, if at all. If there is anything you need to know about Feldt, I can only give you what VEDA would allow me to disclose with your access level. Regardless, I feel that I can be confident in that you will take good care of her.”

For some reason, Kujo felt that she was about to tear a child away from their parent. She can tell that the Captain’s words were measured, and yet they came out easily, like she had learned how to speak Celestial Being’s language from a young age. Chall and Feldt may not match what she had in mind as to how a mother and daughter should interact, but there was no concealing the amount of trust and care between the two. She had her misgivings upon being given the instructions for the courtesy visit, mainly over why couldn’t Chall keep Feldt as part of her own tactical team.

Because VEDA could see the affection between them and that would get in the way. Because it was for the mission. Because they were nothing more than tools to a vision. But Kujo would be damned if she didn’t at least try to not make that fact seem too obvious.

“I will, Captain Acustica. I will do everything I can to keep her safe.”

Once again, Kujo found herself looking into a field of rue blossoms. “Thank you, Miss Sumeragi. I know you will.”


End file.
